Recoil air-pressure beater



Dec- 9, 1941- J. T. LAWRENCE 2,265,912-

RECOIL AIR-PRESSURE BEATER Filed oct. s1, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 ,a Jl Lan/rezza @"Mmy@ nec. 9, 1941'. U.' LAWRENCE 2,265,912

RECOIL AIR- PRES SURE BEATER Filed oqt. 51, 11940 2 sheetssheet 2 III 4 .La Wren Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIci-z macon. AIR-PRESSURE BEATER- John T. Lawrence, Inman, IS. C. Application october s1, 1940, serial No. 363,775

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved rotary beater particularly adapted for use in beating cotton for breaking up the bolls and for separating the lint cotton from foreign matter, or

which is likewise well adapted for use on threshing machines and various other machines ernploying a beater of this type.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a novel rotary beater equipped with yieldably mounted m'eans for a'Lling cotton or other materials and having means for directing air centrifugally from the beater for cleaning the flail members of the cotton or other materials being beat thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cotton beater or beater otherwise used having pivotally mounted tines or spikes and means for yieldably supporting the spikes to permit them to yield in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the beater.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an end View in Ielevation of the beater,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a plan view showing one of the resilient members detached.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I designates generally the beater comprising the invention and which includes a drum II which is keyed to a rotary shaft I2. A plurality of blades I3 are iixedly secured to the periphery of the drum II and project radially therefrom. The blades I3 are disposed crosswise of the drum II and in circumferentially spaced apart relationship relatively to on'e another. The beater Ill is adapted to be revolved by rotation of the shaft I2 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, and the outer edges of the blades I3 are curved or flared as seen at posite to the direction of rotation of the beater, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described. Ihe curved edges I4 are provided with spaced notches I5, the notches I5 of adjacent blades I3 being arranged in ,staggered relationship.

The blades I3 on their trailing sides, and adjacent their secured edges, are provided with outwardly projecting pairs of ap'ertured ears I6, each of which pairs of ears I 6 is disposed beneath a notch I5. Each of the pairs of ears I6 is adapted to receive an apertured end I1 of a tine or spike I8. The apertures of theears I6 of each of the blades I3 are`disposed in alinement with the apertures of the ends I1 which are mounted therein and in alinement with one another to receive'rods I 9, one of which is associated with each of the blades I3 and extends through each of the ears I6 thereof. The rods I9 are retained in position in the ears I6 by means of cotter pins or other fastenings 20 which engage openings, not shown, in the ends of the rods I9. Rods I9 are loosely disposed in the apertures of the-ears I6 and of the ends I1 for pivotally mounting the tines I8 to permit them to swing from radial positions, as seen in Figure 1, in a clockwise direction or in a direction opposite to th'e direction of rotation of the beater. It will thus be apparent that the tines I8 are arranged in staggered circumferential rows.

A yieldable device 2I and a yieldable device 22 are attached to the leading side of each of the blades I3 and project forwardly therefrom. The yieldable devices 2| and 22 each includes an elongated strip or plate 23 which is fastened by means of fastenings 24 to the` forward side of a blade I3 lengthwise thereof. The yieldable devices 2| and 22 of each of the blades I3 are arranged in end to end relationship relatively to one another. A cylinder 25 is secured to and projects forwardly from each end of each of the strips 23, said cylinders being provided with alined longitudinally disposed slot-s 26. The slots 2S of th'e different cylinders 25 of each of the strips 23 are likewise disposed in alinement to receive end portions of bars 21. The open, free ends of the cylinders 25 preferably abut against the trailing sides of the blades I3 which are directly in front of the blades I3 on which the cylinders are mounted, as best seen in Figure 4. The bars 21 are provided with pins 28 for engaging the outer sides of the cylinders 25, through which they extend, for preventing transverse movement of the bars 21 relatively I4 in a clockwise direction 01 in a dvleCtOn OP- 55 to the cylinders 25. Bars 21 are loosely disposed in the slots 28 to permit them to slide longitudinally of the cylinders 25 which are provided with expansion coil springs 29 whichare disposed behind the bars 21 for urging them outwardly of the cylinders 25. The outer edges of the bars 21 are provided with spaced notches 30 for engaging the tines I8 for urging the tines in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, and into position in the notches I5. With reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the strips 23 and the bars 21 of the yieldable devices 2| are longer than the strips 23 and Vthe bars 21, respectively, of the yieldable devices 22 and that the bars 21 of the yieldable devices 2I are provided with siX equally spaced notches 38 while the bars 21 of the yieldable devices 22 are provided. with ve similarly spaced notches 3i). It will be readily noted that the yieldable devices 2I 'and 22 are alternately arranged in opposite ends of adjacent blades I3 and are therefore arranged in staggered relationship circumferentially to properly position them to engage the staggeredly arranged transverse rows 'of tines I8.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that when the beater I is in operation and revolving in a counterclockwise `directiomas seen in Figure 1, that when cotton or other material comes into contact with the tines or spikes I8 if in sufficient quantity the tines I8 will swing ina, clockwise direction thereby retraoting the bars 21 and compressing the springs V29 to compensate for the excess pressure thereon to thereby -prevent the tines from being broken or damaged. As the cotton is hurled centrifugally from the tines I8 bars 21 will be projected by the springs 29 to swing the tines I8 outwardly and back to their positions, as seen in Figure l, and when this occurs simultaneously with the discharge Vof cotton or other material ontofthe tines thus being moved a flailing action on the cotton or other material will be produced. Thencurved edges I4 in iaddition to forming stops for limiting the movement of the tines I8 in one direction, also act to impel air centrifugally from `the blades I3 and outwardly along the tines I8 for cleaning the tines of cotton orother material and other foreign lmatter which might V'otherwise adhere thereto. The yieldable mounting'o'f -the tines I8 also prevents them from being broken or damaged should they accidentally come in contact with other foreign matter or obstructions which would otherwise break off the tines or possibly demolish the beater.

Various modifications and ychanges are contemplated and may obviously Ybe resorted to as only 'a preferred embodimentr of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A beater comprising a revolving member, a plurality of blades xedto and projecting radially from said member, said blades each being longitudinally disposed relatively-to the member and circumferentially spaced relatively to one another, and flail members pivotally connected to said blades, adjacent their inner ends, and projecting outwardly therefrom, beyond their outer ends.

2. A device as in yclaim 1, comprising means for yieldably mounting said ail members relatively to said blades.

3. A device as in claim 1, the outer edges of said blades being curved in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the beater to form impellers for impelling air `centrifugally from the beater for cleaning the flail members.

4. A beater comprising a rotatable cylinder, blades fixed to said cylinder and projecting radially therefrom, said blades being disposed crosswise of `the cylinder and. in circumferentially spaced apart relationship to one another, a

` plurality of tines pivotauy connected to each/of said blades and projecting outwardly therefrom, and means for yieldably mounting the tines to permit them to yield in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the beater.

5. A device as in'claim 4, said yieldable means comprising cylinders secured to the forward sides of said blades and projecting forwardly therefrom, Vbars slidably mounted in said cylinders for engaging said tines, and spring means disposed in the cylinders and engaging and urging the bars outwardly thereof.

6. A device as in claim. 4, the free `edges of said blades being flared or curved in the opposite direct-ion to the direction of rotation yof the beater., and said flared edges being notched to receive the tines.

'1. A beater comprising -a revolving drum, blades fixed to and projecting outwardly from the drum and disposed in vicircumferentially spaced apart relationship to one janother, said blades being arranged crosswise of the drum, 1the outer edges of said blades lbeing `curved in adirection opposite to the direction 'of rotation of the beater, Asaid cur-ved edges being provided with spaced notches, tines pivotallyconnected to said blades on thetrailing sides thereof and projecting radially from the drum, said tines being arranged to engage said notches, lsaid tines being arranged in staggered circumferential rows, and means yieldably engaging said tinesfor permitting the tines Vto yield in -a direction opposite `to the "direction of rotation uof the beater.

8. A device as in claim 7, said yieldable means comprising apair of strips fastened4 to the leading side of each of said blades and longitudinally thereof, cylinders projecting forwardly lfrom said strips, each of said cylinders being provided with longitudinal slots, bars slidablyv mounted in the slots of said cylinders, each yof 'said 4bars being notched for engaging a portion of a transverse row of said tines, and spring means for urging said bars outwardly -of the cylinders for urging the tines into radial positions relatively to the drum. n

` Y JOHN T. LAWRENCE. 

